13 



Wir haben hier im Lande kein Gesetz fur den Samenhandel, und ich meine, da6 wir 

 auf dem Wege der freiwilligen Konkurrenz weiter gekommen sind, indem wir, wie frUher 

 erwahnt, ungefahr 2 Drittel des Samens, den die Landwirte brauchen, unter Kontrolle 

 haben. Dies ist mehr, als selbst mit den strengsten Gesetzen erreicht wiirde. 



Professor Johannsen then proposed that the question of chairman- 

 ship be brought up. 



Sir Lawrence Weaver, Director General Land Department, Ministry 

 of Agriculture and Fisheries, London, and M. M. Insulander, Directeur 

 , general du Bureau royal d'agriculture, Stockholm, Sufede, 

 mot«d that Professor Johannsen schlugen Professor Johannsen als 

 should act as chairman for the entire Prasident und Direktor Dorph- 

 Conference with Mr. Dorph-Pe- Petersenals Vizeprasident der Kon- 

 tersen as vice-chairman; this was ferenz vor, was einstimmig ange- 

 passed unanimously. nommen wurde". 



Professor Johannsen thanked and then stated that an opportunity 

 would be given for the delegates to see the State Seed Testing Station 

 and at 1 : 00 they would be the guests of the station at luncheon. 



After luncheon the delegates were photographed on the steps of the 

 State Seed Testing Station. 



At 3:00 the meeting re-opened. 



Professor Johannsen introduced Mr. F. F. Bruijning, Director of the 

 State SeedTesting Station, Wageningen, Holland, who expressed the following : 



"Mr. Chairman! 



The Dutch Government, which I have the honour to represent in this place, has 

 instructed me to tell you, that they are following this Congress with special interest and 

 offer you their best wishes for its success. 



With the greatest pleasure I now acquit myself of this instruction which affords me 

 the great privilege of meeting here with you, Mr. Chairman, highly appreciated and 

 renowned as a geneticus far beyond the limits of your native-country, and with you. 

 Gentlemen, who are going to take part in our proceedings. There are many among you 

 with whom bonds of cooperation and mutual appreciation have existed for many years. 



May our meeting be characterized by the very special blessing of renewed co- 

 operation and renewed friendship that will give us the best expectations for the future. 



Mr. Bruijning thereafter read a paper on: 



„ General views concerning the international unification of methods 



of testing seeds in the interest of trade, more especially with 



regard to the purity of seeds": 



Determination of the purity of seeds is, theoretically speaking, so simple that it 

 would seem that all theory about it is futile. However, an effectual test necessitates some 

 rules, the neglect of which might make it worthless. In the iirst place testing the purity 

 of seeds must be executed with accuracy and practical knowledge. I need hardly state that 

 these conditions are not always fulfilled. Laboratories are not always well equipped, and 

 some of them lack a sufficient staff, at least one with ample, many-sided, experience. If 

 we propose to lay the foundations of a unification of methods, this must be taken into 

 account. Unification is only practically possible, when it rests on mutual deliberation of 

 establishments possessing the means of meeting their obligations unreservedly and scrupu- 

 lously. For this reason I fear that several small establishments must be disregarded the 



